


Jane meets the family

by Keenir



Series: Ullr's edda [3]
Category: Norse Mythology, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-28
Updated: 2013-11-28
Packaged: 2017-12-30 20:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1022808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keenir/pseuds/Keenir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane's POV as Thor takes her to Asgard to meet his family...and she ends up hearing Loki's confession.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jane meets the family

Horses.

Fleet-footed clydesdale-looking horses.

I just moved - not flew, wrong verb, not that English has anything accurate beyond _moved_ \- so many Thor-doesn't-know-how-many parsecs through interstellar space. And now I'm riding a horse.

And here I had started to convince myself that government conspiracies and ultra-humanoid aliens were as weird as the universe got. That's what I get for forgetting Haldane.

"We can look at everything later, right?" I yell over at Thor, while I hold on for dear life, my horse keeping pace with his at what feels like a trot, but surely has to be a canter we're going so fast. Suddenly I'm not upset with having to learn dressage for all those years.

He - we - slow down as we come up on a huge building. Everything here is huge. "This is Gladsheim," Thor tells me.

"Valhalla?" I ask.

Thor smiles as he helps me down from my horse, and the guards open the huge doors for us. I'm really going to over-use the word 'huge' here, aren't I? "The throne room is this way."

One of the things I remember him telling me at some point was that he's a prince. "Your parents?"

"We are not here to meet them," Thor says.

Okay, I'm confused. And before I know it, we're walking into the throne room, which is - yeah, huge. Cavernous too. The Keck Telescope could probably fit in here.

"Welcome to Asgard, Jane Foster, friend of Thor," is said to me by someone whose voice I recognize.

"Sif?" I ask, and wish I could retract it. Of course she is. "Nice place you've got here," I say, which isn't a lot better, though Darcy might tease me about taking the words right out of her mouth.

But she looks down like I said something awkward.

"And now we meet," says a man I've seen in clips of news footage. So I'm about to slap him, when a hand grabs my wrist.

"You do not hit my father. That is my mother's hobby." And Thor and some others in earshot chuckle - laugh knowingly? - at that. "I am Ullr."

Him, him I know about. "You're Thor's nephew," I say. 

"I am. Also I am nephew of Meili. You know my kin? Thor has spoken of us?"

"Thor...no."

"My father, then?"

I shake my head.

"You wish to marry my uncle?" Ullr asks me, in what I can only assume is a change of topic. 

"I do."

"Then who is your source of information?"

I close my eyes and hope I don't get struck down for saying "Myth" to people who very clearly are not imaginary.

When I open my eyes, Ullr is shaking his head sadly. "Grandmother did not oft spread gossip and foreseeings, but when she did..."

Ullr also says, "During my time as king, Jane Foster, I have approved your marriage to my uncle. There is a price to be paid."

"How much?" I ask, though I don't have a wallet on me.

A charming smile. "You misunderstand. The price is your attendance: you will live the rest of your life on any Realm you wish, with the exception of Midgard.

"All my friends are on Earth," is the first thing out of my mouth, so help me.

"Then they shall be brought to where you opt to live from now onwards," Ullr says.

"Thor?" I ask, turning to him.

Thor tells me that, "What Ullr has said, he has said as king of Asgard. Only a king or the Allfather may overturn his decision."

Aaand you were just telling me how you'd be willing to give up your claim on the throne, just to be with me. Was this how Wallace felt when her prince offered to abdicate for her?

Nobody has anything to add to that, so nobody says anything; I've got no problem with this - always used to wish people wouldn't say anything if they didn't have something to say.

And, eventually, into that silence, Loki drops something: "Mine family," Loki says, looking at us, even at Thor and I. "This passes to none others, and is not to be whispered to any."

His head down, Thor says, "I did say to my fellow Avengers, brother, that you were adopted. Naught more than that, was spoken by me."

"A small mercy, then," Loki says. "For even now, I am not entirely at ease with what I know myself to be."

"Father," Ullr says.

"Husband," Sif says.

"Brother," Meili and Thor say.

"Backguardian," the Warriors Three say.

"Jotun," Loki says.

Everyone is silent.

"A giant?" I ask..."like Heimdall?"

Loki's not the only one staring at me like I've grown an extra head. Actually, with all those stars so close in the overhead sky, is that a possibility?

In a voice that is measured and cautious, Sif tells me, "Jotuns are also called Frost Giants."

"We have been enemies with them since the recent War," Thor says.

"Before that, we were enemies with the Vanir," says Meili with surprising cheerfulness.

"You cannot be," Ullr insists, making me glad I'm not the only one having trouble swallowing this. "I used magic to shape ice to my wishes. Magic, like you and Thor possess."

I turn my head to look at Thor. And we are most definately going to discuss that, mister.

I look over at Sif, who has been quiet this entire time, looking at Loki. Then she moves to place herself between Loki and the rest of us, almost like -

"Whoa!" I say when Sif pulls out that...sword? glaive?

"Sif," Loki requests of her, "please -"

"Silence," she asks him quietly, and he shuts up.

I'd say this was a Mexican Standoff, only with weapons ready for use in the hands of one person. But everyone's staring at each other, with shock when they look at Loki. "I'm sure it isn't as bad as it seems," I say. Meili looks at me with a look that - I know she's a bear, but still - says 'have you not been paying attention?'

"The mortal is correct," Ullr says.

Thanks.

Ullr also says, "I will speak with the Allfather about obtaining exile."

"Exile?" I repeat. "I thought we were trying to think of things that would help." And here I thought Thor's habit of smashing coffee cups was jarring.

"Jane," Thor says to me, "if Loki were to be banished, anyone in the Nine Realms could kill him with little fear of retaliation. Were he to be exiled, none would dare kill him."

Oh. "Oh."

And Thor takes my hands in his, and looks gently, tenderly into my eyes. "I would ask of you, Jane, rather than speak on your behalf, that you come with me when I accompany Loki into exile. For I would keep him company and protected from the few fools who fear no death nor pain."

So I ask Thor, "Is there a limit on how many people can go into exile with someone?"

And damn if he doesn't give me one of those broad smiles that you'd swear was a second sun. "There is none."

"Good, because I think there's a line forming, of people who're willing to go with Loki - and Sif's ahead of you in that line." I may be mortal, but I'm by no means oblivious.

"This is true," Sif says.

The Warriors Three are whispering something between themselves, then Volstagg says, "We did...disagree when you were king, Loki, but as your friends we shall venture forth with you into exile."

Said Loki, "Asgard's greatest shieldwarrior, Asgard's prince, their staunchest allies... Do you think to shame me into staying, to guilt me into not denying Asgard the greatest fighters of this generation?

Abruptly Meili _moves_ , fast as a race car, fast as Thor's Hammer, and one heavy paw is on Loki's back - Loki now being belly-down on the floor - not looking at the glaive-point Sif's aiming at her. Meili says, "Should you leave, I shall kill our brother. That is no idle. That is promise, that is vow, I make this oath."

Loki chuckles. "I never mentioned exile; I simply asked a question pursuing everyone's offer."

"While that be true, it does nothing to diminish my promise, Loki, brother, loyal."

"To Asgard, ever you have been that," Sif said. 

"If rather stinging in your lessons," Thor says.

"One must penetrate your skull," Loki says offhandedly. And Thor nods.

"Question," Fandral says. "Who aside from we here, who knows that Loki is a, um...?"

"Everyone here," Loki says. "The Allfather and Allmother."

"Doubtless my brother does as well," Sif says. "Though he has not spoken of it, nor shall he ever. And if you do, Heimdall my brother, you and they shall answer to me."

Oh, right, Heimdall sees everything. Which means he's seen me naked. Great. And he's seen me making out with my ex, back before he was an ex; even better, yay.

"Nor shall any of us speak a word or a breath of what we know here, to any others," Thor says.

"On this we can agree, wizard," Meili says.

"Then all are in agreement?" Ullr asks.

"We are," and everyone nods agreement.

"Then I can rest easy in my slumber for an aeon or three."

"I'm sorry, but - what?" I ask.


End file.
